Chapter 22-Dealing With Suffering and Loss; Day863; Marlon/Helenjoy

But though He causes grief, yet will He be moved to compassion according to the multitude of His loving-kindness and tender mercy.  Lamentations 3:32

Nothing  demonstrate our human frailty more forcefully than pain.
Wrong responses of pain:
1. Complaints
2. Anger
3. Bitterness

Purpose of Pain:
1. Alerting us to danger
2. Serves as warning that something is wrong

How should we react with Pain?
1. Be on guard against pain’s dangers.
-when in pain, we tend to focus on self
-emotional and spiritual danger manifests
-we become self absorbed and ignore the feelings of those around us
-we sometimes reject help from others “I can do it” or “I can handle” syndrome [by myself]
-watch out for self pity and bitterness
-watch out of the feeling of despair [loss of hope]
-watch out for statement “God is punishing me”, this is not true.
-pray for others when in pain, there are people like you who is in the same situation

2. Ask God to help you learn pain’s lessons
-get the message about your misfortune or pain [look for what and not why]
-sometimes pain teaches us to solely depend on God
-suffering draws us closer to God
-learn to trust God each day
-take the pain as a gift, not as punishment
-let your lips be filled with prayer and praise
-pray for His will to be done in your life
-rejoice since we have heaven waiting for us
-His Grace is enough

Loss and Grief
-grief is the deepest and intense pain a human being can experience
-a profound and enduring sense of sorrow and loss

Difficulties in Life includes:
Loss of health
Loss of friendship
Loss of financial security
Loss of inner peace
Loss of hope
Loss of a love one, the hardest of all the losses

Death is our final enemy

Responding to Grief
1. Don’t be surprised by grief-go to acceptance immediately
-our first response is numbness and shock
-we feel guilty and irrationally blaming us for not doing more to prevent [self blame syndrome]
-we feel angry towards the doctors and nurses [other blame syndrome]

2. Turn your grief over to God
-Cast your burden on the Lord and He shall sustain you Psalm 55:22
-don’t carry your grief alone
-He knows what you are going through and He is truly the father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

3. Surround your grief with gratitude
-thank God  for the years you have been together [the good and bad times]
-thank God that our loved one is now out of suffering
-thank God that they are now in Heaven
-thank God that someday you will be reunited with them
-thanks God for everything [it means not just the good things but also misfortune]

4. Reach out to someone who is also hurting
– when we reach out to others during suffering, the act of doing it releases pain also
-we are called to carry each other’s  burden

5. Know that our hardship and suffering are part of the process of life
-hard times are the chisel God uses to shape us
-grief is the molding process – to make us better and stronger
-grief produces perseverance
-Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything James 1:2-4

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PLAN:
Daily Bible Devotional
Journal
Celebration Church
Workout-Rest

READING LIST:
Book-Permanent Innovation p.143
Book-The Journey, By Billy Graham p.224

TIMELINE:
0700, End of Sleep
0830, Celebration Church with Helenjoy and Marlon Aquino

Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and precious pearls,
Who, on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:45

Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another.
Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.
Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer.
Contribute to the needs of God’s people [sharing in the necessities of the saints]; pursue the practice of hospitality.
Romans 12:10

Series: Honor – Honor the Church [the Body of Christ, us]
1. Honor says “Take NOTICE of the Church”
2. Honor says “Take HOLD of the Church”
3. Honor says “Take ACTION of the Church”
4. Honor says “Take  OFF from the Church”

1030, Breakfast with Helenjoy and Marlon, we exchanged life stories.

God’s Perfect Timing:
Nov 5, 1991 Ormoc flood
Parallel events happened with 3 different people.
December 1991, MA left for the US [same time I left for NY]
CP awakening-Nov 5, 1991